Gwozdecky returns 'home' as Lightning assistant coach

KUSA - He won't be able to stay long but just returning to the place he called home for new nearly two decades feels right to longtime University of Denver head hockey coach George Gwozdecky.

"It's great to come home, even if it is just for a few hours," Gwozdecky said, he's now an assistant coach for the NHL's Tampa Bay Lightning. They arrived late last night and will depart following their game at Pepsi Center Sunday evening.

He was unceremoniously let go by DU last year after 19 seasons on the Pioneers bench. Gwozdecky led the team to a pair of National Championships (2004, 2005) and 11 appearances in the NCAA Tournament during his tenure. His 311 wins are the second-most in school history, but his memories of Denver aren't all about victories.

"The relationships are the things that we miss the most; the relationships with our players at DU, our staff there and even our neighbors in our neighborhood," Gwozdecky asserted. He was also able to see his daughter who still attends the University of Denver.

"The relationships that we've established over the years, those are the things that I've missed and the reason I'm glad to be back in town," he continued.

Gwodecky remembered the past and his time in Denver very fondly, and, as for the future, he's solely focused on this season and the success of the Lightning.

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